To qualify for consideration, one must meet the seven (7) criteria. The criteria are listed here.

When can application be submitted?

Application for consideration can be submitted starting Aug. 15, 2012.

What is the filing fee?

The filing fee as of Aug. 16, 2012 is $465.

Do I get a greencard if my application is granted?

No. If application is granted, applicant will be offered deferred action, which means that applicant will not be deported for two years. The applicant will also be able to work legally in the US. Applicant may renew this status at the end of the two year period.

Will I be place in removal proceeding if my application is rejected?

According to USCIS brochure, if your case does not involve a criminal offense, fraud, or a threat to national security or public safety, your case will not be referred to ICE for purposes of removal proceedings except if DHS determines there are exceptional circumstances.

To qualify for consideration for deferred action for childhood arrival, one must meet the following criteria:

1. Born after June 15, 1981;2. Arrived in the United States before the age of 16;3. Have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the present time;4. Were present in the United States on June 15, 2012;5. Entered without inspection before June 15, 2012 or your lawful immigration status expired as of June 15, 2012;6. Are currently in school, graduated or received a certificate of completion from high school, obtained a general educational development certificate (GED), or that you are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or U.S. Armed Forces; and7. Are at least 15 years of age at the time of filing, if you have never been in removal proceedings or if your case was terminated before your request.

Like this:

On May 13th, 2011 (Friday the 13th), the US Department of State announced that due to computer glitch the result of this years lottery is invalid and voided. The department will select a new group of lottery winner and announce the results by mid-July. About 22,000 applicants were erroneously informed that they were picked in the lottery before the results of this year’s lottery was voided. The lottery is the first step to immigrating to the US without employee or family sponsorship. Lottery winners would go through a series of medical examination and interviews, afterwhich approximately 50% will be granted an immigration visa.

Jessica Cototl, a student at Kennesaw State University, was in danger of being removed from US a week from her graduation. Ms. Cototl was born in Mexico and entered the US illegally when she was 11. In March 2010, she was stopped by police for traffic violation and could not produce US diver license. Soon after, she was arrested and turned over to immigration officials. According to CNN.com, in May of 2011, ICE (immigration and custom enforcement) has allowed her to stay in US until her graduation. However, even with this decision, Ms. Cototl will have to leave US when her one year extension is up.

The purpose of the DREAM ACT was to create a new pathway for citizenship for children who were illegally entered into the US before the age 0f 16. The blocking of the act in Senate in Dec. 2010 denied immigrants such as Jessica Cototl a pathway to become US citizen and stay in the US. The proposed act was:

Six-year conditional status will be granted to immigrants who (1) entered the US illegally as children under the age of 16, (2) have lived in US for at least five years, (3) obtained a high school or General Education Development diploma and (4) demonstrated “good moral character.To apply for permanent residency (green card), the immigrant would need either: (1) attend college or (2) serve in the military for at least two years and pass criminal background checks.